Cherryblossom of my Heart
by TheLupineRebel
Summary: When Sakura Kakashi and Naruto are sent out on a recovery mission, they meet Sasuke again. has he truly betrayed th again? and can a certain masked shiobi cure Sakura's shattered soul? [KakaSaku]
1. Rude Awakening

"SAKURA CHAAAAAAN!!!" Haruno Sakura yelped and fell out of bed as her loud-mouthed blonde friend squatted grinning on the foot board of her bed. "Dammit Naruto!" she yelled, "How many times do I have to change the locks on my doors and windows to stop you from doing that?" He just grinned and said," If you don't hurry we'll be late for training with Kakashi-sensei." "Don't rush me!" she snapped back, gathering her clothes from the floor. He clasped his hands behind his head and said almost innocently, "You know I could always help you shower if it'll help us get their faster…" Her eye twitched and without hesitation her fist went sailing into Naruto's mouth, sending him sailing out the window and into the roof of the apartment complex across the street.

The poor couple who lived there already had five dents in the mistreated roof and this would be the sixth Naruto induced hole they would have to fix. Sakura sighed as she stepped into the shower. Ever since Sasuke went missing on that ANBU mission a year ago Naruto insisted on waking her up every morning and walking her to train with their former sensei. She knew he meant well but it could grate on ones nerves when an ADHD blonde shin obi was screaming 'Sakura-chan' into your ear every morning.

She towled off dressed, grabbed her gear (which isn't as perverted as it actually sounds) and headed out the door wear Naruto was currently rubbing a welt the size of a baseball on the side of his face.

He mentally chuckled to himself. Sakura's training with the Fifth had not only turned her into a top medic-nin and a deadly master of Chakra control, but it had also transformed the once meek little pink haired girl into a confident young woman who was desired by many a man in Konohoa.

The two companions walked until they reached the training ground. As expected the spiky haired jounin was nowhere to be seen. Sakura sighed in exasperation. No matter how long you worked with the famous Copy-Nin you never quite got over his lousy sense of time. The familiar sound of thunder rumbled overhead.

_Hatake Kakashi I swear to the heavens If you don't hurry up I will clock you, _Sakura thought bitterly. "Ohio!' said an all too familiar voice. "_Kaakaaaaashiii-seeeenseiii….your laaaaaaaate" _whined Naruto. The man sitting on the fence glared at Naruto. "For the last time you two I'm an equal now, so call me by my name."

Sakura was in no mood for this, she felt crappy because she hadn't eaten and to be honest the next person who looked at her the wrong way was asking for a beating. "Are we going to start training or what?" she asked waspishly. Kakashi raised an eyebrow and smoothly jumped down from the fence. "Well I wanted to try something new today." "Like?" "Instead of me defending myself against you, you defend yourselves against me." "What for Kakashi?" asked Naruto who had his hands clasped behind his head as always. "The Hokage informed me today that she planned on sending us on a newer mission in which you might need better defensive skills"

Sakura pulled on her gloves over her strong, delicate hands. Thunder rumbled again overhead and dark clouds blocked out the sun, threatening to unleash all hell on them sooner than later. Naruto looked at her nervously and at the sky again. He wasn't very fond of the idea of getting soaked to the skin in a chilly autumn storm. "Go!" Kakashi shouted unexpectedly.

Without hesitation Sakura and Naruto jumped into the tree tops as the Copy-Nin disappeared in a sheet of rain. She and Naruto had become a flawless team against Kakashi, and pretty much anybody, from all their time training together over the past few years. But rarely did Kakashi turn the tables on them like this. What was he up to?


	2. Stupid Mistakes and Good Teaching

Sakura knelt on the branch of the cherry blossom tree; water was dripping around her from all directions. The rain had subsided but the chill and water still remained. The three of them had been at it for hours (and for all of you perverts out there reading this, that isn't as gross as it may sound…that's right you know who you are…) and Kakashi had shown no signs of tiring. Naruto had almost gotten caught twice and was now perched on a tree not far from where she roosted. Kakashi nonchalant as ever stood in the clearing before them indulging in an unread chapter of the latest volume of Icha Icha. She breathed in the intoxicating scent of Cherry blossoms all around her that were late in the season. Suddenly a wickedly brilliant idea occurred to her. With the silence and stealth of a jungle cat, her toned muscles tensed and she jumped back to the tree where Naruto was perched. She expected him to make a ruckus or at least to yell but all he did was gaze at her mutely.

"So Naruto want to finally take down our old sensei?" she whispered.

"But Sakura-chan were on defense he whispered back

Sakura cut him off, "This is a completely defensive move: We're eliminating the enemy."

Despite himself Naruto grinned. "Sakura I never knew you could be so ruthless, I kind of like this side of you…"

Though she tried to hide it he saw her blush. "Shut up you baka! Do you want to hear the plan or not?"

Kakashi looked left. Then right. No sign of them. He had finished with Icha Icha and this was getting boring. He wanted to finish beating those two and be done with it.

He stuffed his hands into his pockets and leaned against the tree trunk, his mask absorbing the little dewdrops falling from the leaves of the maple. _Naruto will be the first to lose his patience,_ he analyzed, _and then Sakura will follow him, or come at me from behind_ his breath caught in his throat as a very non related mental image crept into his mind, due to reading a certain orange jacketed novel combined with that kind of suggestive analysis …_ No very bad Kakashi! No more Icha Icha for you! Well at least until you get home... _

"Oi Hatake!" shouted the very subject of the random thought. Sakura stood there in the clearing smiling sassily hands on her hips. Why don't you come and fight me like a man? I'm tired of this game of hide and seek!"

Kakashi took his hands out his pockets, mildly surprised; Sakura was more stealth than outright. "Are you so unprofessional Haruno that I have to remind you that you're on defense?" She laughed harshly and crossed her arms, "I'm not breaking any rules if you initiate the fight, not that I would much care about the rules anyway." He shrugged mentally; apparently she wanted to end this as much as he did.

So he came at her, threw some punches, and she retaliated, they fought like this for some time until he grew tired and just decided to throw some kunai at her. What did it matter? They both weren't putting any effort into this fight anyway.

He didn't see that she was crouching and ready to stand up until the gleaming missiles sank into her rising torso. His eyes widened in shock and horror as the pink- haired kuinoichi fell to the ground, blood oozing gently from the knives in her stomach. Damn! He rushed to her side and gathered her in his arms. That was damn careless Hatake! "Sakura! Sakura!" He shouted at her but it did no good as her breathing grew shallower and shallower. Panic welled within him when he realized, that because of his mistake, his stupid damned mistake, he might never be able to talk to the little cherry blossom again.

"Kakashi…" His heart beat faster as her misted green eyes opened and looked into his one black one. "Sakura I'm so sorry, please just hang on I'll get you to the hospital!" She laughed weakly, "No need for that Kakashi…" "Why? Dammit don't talk like that!" Despite himself he shook her. She laughed again and said lightly, "Just you wait and see…"

With that she closed her eyes and there was a loud CRACK! He coughed as the smoke dissipated and he found himself holding a log instead of a dead girl. Damn! He whipped around just in time to see a streak of orange and then blackness…

"Naruto you idiot you overdid it!" Sakura yelled as she knelt over the unconscious Kakashi. " What you said 'eliminate the enemy' and in this case Kakashi was the enemy!" he whined back. "I told you to knock him out not give him amnesia for heavens sake!" Her bad mood worsening she removed the fog from the unconscious nin's mind and slowly revived him, her hands glowing a soft gree. Suddenly his one eye opened wide and he sat bolt upright grabbing her shoulders. At first she thought he was going to shake her, and if he did that well he would be leaving with more than amnesia… But all he did was look at her in a calculating way. "That was just cruel and unusual." he finally said, in that annoying nonchalant 'I don't really care' tone. "It was an ambush, a basic defensive maneuver, even Naruto could've seen it coming, what happened Kakashi?' she asked crossing her arms from her kneeling position. The spikey haired jounin just looked into the green eyes he thought he himself had extinguished and thanked no one in particular that another day would come when hed get to see his pink-haired comrade again. "Well aside from the fact that I thought I had just killed my friend and former student nothing at all" he replied arising from his sitting position.

"Ha! Admit it Kakashi-sensei we got you!" said Naruto grinning ear to ear. Kakashi just pulled out another, older, volume of Icha Icha, and said, "I gave you two a break". He scoffed, and the entire walk back to town was going on about how they finally got to the 'Man Who Copied a Thousand Jutsu'. "And it wasn't even jutsu he continued, as they neared the ramen hut, "It was just plain old run-of-the-mill tactics."

Sakura shook her head as they all went their seperate ways at the ramen shop as always. She was headed for home and a nice warm shower, Naruto had a date with a bowl of ramen and Kakashi was probably reporting back to Tsunade. She however could care less, right now all that was on her mind was warm water pajamas and a nice long nap…

"So their ready for this?" Kakashi nodded to the busty blonde sitting next to a pile of paper work and a bottle of sake. "Well I brief you three about the mission in a weeks time, continue training as usual." He nodded again and turned to the exit but stopped in the doorframe. "What is it Hatake?" she asked impatiently. "Just wanted to compliment your teaching skills, that is all" with that he left.

Oooooh cliffhanger! Well review and tell me watcha think!


	3. A Day Off

_Hmmm I finally got some sleep…_Sakura thought. Wait a minute she never got sleep! She jumped out of bed. Light streamed through the windows and the clock read noon. Where in the hell was Naruto?

Without even thinking about showering she got dressed quickly grabbed her things and dashed out the door. First thing she did was head to the ramen shop. "Old man!" The man at the counter looked up from washing a dish. "Have you seen Naruto this morning?" The old man squinted thoughtfully, "Come to think of it yeah I did see him, right after he had his morning bowl of ramen he started talking to the Hyuga girl. I think they went to the river…"

Sakura thanked him and ran towards the bridge. When she reached it she could see Naruto talking eagerly to Hinata, his eyes were bright with anticipation. She nodded and smiled and talked back some. Sakura just watched and waited. After a while Naruto grabbed her hands and looked at her earnestly, he was saying something. Sakura could see the sympathy in Hinatas eyes as she shook her head 'no' said something back and walked away in the opposite direction.

Naruto just stood there, hands behind his head gazing at the sky. Sakura thought it best that she just walk to training herself today…

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"Ohaiyo Kakashi!" she said cheerfully to her friend. "Ah Sakura, imagine my surprise when I got here this morning only to find that I wasn't the one who was late this time."

She pouted and walked over to the masked man. "My alarm clock got distracted." Kakashi's one visible eye closed as he laughed. "Now that's a new one I haven't heard, where's Naruto? "That's my alarm clock and I don't think he'll be coming."

Kakashi sighed and put his hands in his pockets. "Well then let's just take the day off Sakura; I have some work to do anyway and…."

She placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled sweetly at him. "Kaka-sensei why don't we take a walk?" The suggestion surprised him. He and Sakura hadn't had a decent conversation in a long time. "Sure" he said setting off into the forest.

So how have you been Kakashi? She asked falling into step beside him. He shrugged, "I've been alright how about you?" "Life's been tough since mom and dad died, and I have been a little lonely." Kakashi winced at the mention of her parents death, it had been a grisly affair a year ago. A gang of Sound-nin had invaded the village under cover of night and killed many before they themselves were killed. Sakura's parents had been some of those killed in the attack. He had been present at their funeral. Kakashi saw tears on her face. He stopped and she shook her head and wiped her eyes. " I'm sorry" he said putting his arm around her shoulder and she folded into his arms and started to cry uncontrollably. "I-I miss them so much…they where my only family!" he closed his eyes remembering how horrible it had been realizing he would never see Obito or Rin again. How much worse it must be for her. He held her close breathing in that sweet scent of her hair. Poor girl…

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Sakura choked on her own tears and pulled away from his embrace, she berated herself for troubling him like this. "I'm sorry Kakashi" she said laughing a little, "that was foolish of me…" Still she was comforted in those few moments in his arms… she felt safe…

"Don't be silly Sakura-chan." He was smiling gently at her through that mask; trying to make her feel better. It was working. "Thank you for the walk…and the sympathy" she whispered as she turned around in the direction of home.


	4. Sasuke Sighted

Sakura and Kakashi where just arriving back at the training area when an orange clad ninja ran up to them waving his arms. "Kakashi! Sakura-chan! Granny Tsunade told me to get you two we need to get to her office!"

"Naruto, Naruto what's the matter?" asked Sakura anxiously. "She said that she needs us to go on an emergency S-rank mission!"

Kakashi started. That wasn't due till next week! Sakura noticed his reaction. "Kakashi did you know something about this?"

"No let's go!" they all in unison jumped to the rooftops and headed towards the Hokage building.

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"Tsunade-sama they're here."

"Send them in Shizune", she said looking up from her desk. Kakashi Sakura and Naruto walked into her office looking a little out of breath but ready for the mission none the less. "As you all know Uchiha Sasuke has been missing on that ANBU mission a year ago, well word has it that he has been spotted north of the Sand's border, with a pack of Sound-nin, I need you to gather intelligence and report back as soon as possible. All of you pack up and meet me at the gate in an hour." Sakura and Naruto departed from the office but Kakashi remained. "You're not telling them the truth why?"

"Think of it this way, that's all the information they need until we find out for sure." "But…" "Hatake don't question me."

Kakashi fell silent and left.

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"I can't believe that the bastard left us AGAIN for Orochimaru" Naruto said loudly. Sakura looked around to be sure no one was close to them then said, "I know Naruto but still do you think he would do that?" "ARE YOU KIDDING ME? OF COURSE HE WOULD!" "NARUTO BE QUIET!" "YOU STILL LOVE HIM DON'T YOU?" "YOU IDIOT OF COURSE NOT!" "OWWW SAKURA CHAAAAAN!""

"SHUT UP THE BOTH OF YOU!!" yelled the Hokage. The blonde boy and pink-haired girl quieted instantly under the angered glare of the Hokage and disapproving look of Kakashi.

They had arrived at the gate finally and Tsunade was looking anxious. "Now I want it understood that you report back_ as soon as possible _got it?" "Hai Tsunade-sama they all said in unison. "Good now I wish you all luck!"

The faithful team nodded and set off into the forest. Tsunade gazed after them wondering what danger she had just plunged the best team she had into

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I hope I did okay on this chapter! Let me know! thx


	5. Arrival

Sakura Kakashi and Naruto traveled all day until they reached a clearing around midnight. "All right you two if you set up camp I'll get firewood." Without waiting for an answer he walked off into the woods, disappearing into the darkness.

Sakura sighed. At times she could choke that masked man, and at others… "So Naruto what was with you and Hinata today?" Naruto stopped what he was doing and looked at her with those sad blue eyes. "Well…err…"

"Naruto you can tell me"

"I waited too long Sakura-chan… I was asking her to go out for ramen with me…but she said she was involved with Kiba."

Sakura looked at him, amazed; he looked like he was actually going to…cry. "Naruto…"

"It's alright Sakura I had my chance and I lost it so let's just get camp set up."

Neither of them spoke until Kakashi returned with an armful of firewood. "Who died?" he asked.

That insensitive jerk!

Sakura walked over to him and punched him in the arm.

Kakashi dropped the wood and cursed a blue streak from behind his mask.

"What the hell was that for?!" he yelled. "For being insensitive!" she yelled back.

Naruto sat down on the forest floor and began to laugh uncontrollably.

Such was life on the road for team Kakashi.

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They traveled this way (minus the punching yelling and cursing) until they reached a small village about 5 miles north of the Sand's border. "Alright here's the plan: we split up spend the night and gather as much information on Sasuke's whereabouts then meet up at the gate scout the border" said Kakashi.

Sakura felt a knot in her stomach form at the thought of being alone in a strange town all night. "Something wrong Sakura-chan?" asked Naruto.

She shook her head and turned to Kakashi. "Kakashi, don't you think splitting up wouldn't let us cover as much ground?"

Kakashi looked at her, reading her face like a book. She was afraid to be here alone, he saw. "No, but on the other hand if two of us stick together, it'll be safer, so Naruto, you stay with Sakura."

"Does that mean I get to share a _room_ with Sakura-----?" he asked with an evil grin.

Sakura grimaced, "Err on second thought…"

"Nonsense Sakura, I want you to be safe, and with Naruto You'll be safe and I can meet up with an old friend who might have info on Sasuke, good luck you two I'll see you tomorrow."

"Wait Kakashi!"

He stopped and turned around to see her smiling face. "Hm?"

"Be safe!"

He smiled, closing his one visible eye and gave a two fingered salute. And with that he walked away

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------I know it's short and im sorry! But if you want me to keep going please give me some ideas!!! Im stuck! Thank you my faithful readers!

-sincerely kakashisgirl101


	6. Memories Brought to Life

Kakashi sat at the smoky bar holding a shot of sake in one hand and with his other in his pocket. If they had any hope of finding Sasuke that information had better get here soon…

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Hatake "Hotcakes" Kakashi" said a sultry female voice. He jumped about a mile and turned to the right of the wall he was leaning on. A tall willowy girl with raven's hair and brown eyes smiled at him sweet as honey. "I see you haven't changed a bit Yuki."

She laughed and he was thankful that the dark musty room hid the flush in his cheeks. It had been a while since anyone mentioned his old nickname. He had forgotten which one-night stand in his ANBU days had caused it…

"So shall we sit?" he asked finally.

"I suppose"

Kakashi grabbed a table and ran nervous fingers through his gravity-defying silver hair and looked across the table to the woman who this entire mission depended on (who just so happened to be wearing a slinky black dress). "So Yuki tell me what I want to hear."

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"Sakura-chan stop pulling! My ear's about to fall off!"

Sakura ignored his complaints and dragged him by the ear lobe all the way back to the inn. That idiot had almost blown their cover! "You idiot Naruto! Do you know how close we could've come to getting captured?!"

He had the grace to look down with a guilty look on his face as they entered the small room. "Sakura I didn't realize they were Sound-nin!"

She snorted and threw her bag onto the small futon. Naruto gazed at it and then the couch and sighed, "I'm sleeping on the couch aren't I?"

Sakura grinned evilly and summoned a large black panther just as Tsunade had shown her a year before. "Nonsense Naruto that's where Kioshi is sleeping!" Naruto looked as if he might explode but said nothing when the jungle cat growled a warning to him.

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"Thank you Yuki that's just the information I needed!"

He jumped up from his chair and made for the door but a hand on his sleeve stopped him. He looked down into limpid brown eyes. "I've missed you Kakashi…"

Damn…

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Sakura walked slowly through the local market keeping a sharp eye out for the Nin she and Naruto had run into the other day. None of them were around, or so it seemed…

She only stopped when she reached the gate of the town. Her inquisitive green eyes gazed out into the desert wondering how any human being could live in this hostile environment.

Then out of the waves of heat she caught sight of a group of at least ten people in the far distance. Just as her muscles went taught with sudden realization; the two Sound-nin from the day before pushed past her and into the open desert.

_I need to find Kakashi!_

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Sorry its been so long it's just that theres been a lot of stuff goin on and well here you are I hope you enjoyed it!


	7. Carried Away? Yeah Right

-1"Kioshi!" Sakura whispered the name but the black cat appeared in a puff of smoke before her. The nin had already disappeared into the sandy haze that was the Desert and time was short. "Yes milady?" he drawled licking a paw. "Find Kakashi! Here I have one of his gloves…"

Sakura pulled out the Copy-Nin's tattered glove that she had tried to repair for him, after a sparring session and held it out to Kioshi. He sniffed it delicately and with another 'poof' he was gone. She paced up and down the small alleyway where she had hidden to summon Kioshi. This was bad.

If they didn't get caught up to them they could get away and this intelligence gathering mission would be failed…

She jumped as a third poof signaled Kioshi's return. " I have located the one you seek." She thanked him and followed him as they nimbly took to the village streets. People jumped out of the way as she neared where Naruto was spending the day. "Kioshi wait!" the cat stopped in mid-bound as she called Naruto over. She quickly explained what had happened, and she saw his features harden into a grim line of determination. With a pang of gut wrenching understanding she knew what it meant to him to get Sasuke. He had failed that mission once before and didn't intend to do so again. "Naruto don't forget we're just here to gather information…we cant interfere without Tsunade-shishou's permission."

He flinched and for a moment she thought he would refuse to admit that he had to obey orders. But he just smiled grimly and nodded.

Again they followed Kioshi until they reached an old shack of an inn at the edge of the town. She siged as she entered. Leave it to Hatake Kakashi to choose the shabbiest run down inn he could find. Naruto said to her, " Sakura-chan you go get him I'll stay here just in case." she nodded and walked to the front desk. "Excuse me sir, did a silver-haired man come to stay here last night?"

The old man gave her the strangest of looks and directed her to the first room on the left up the stairs. She thanked him and ran up the rickety old staircase. Without hesitating she burst throught the door. "Kakashi we found them!" her next words died in her mouth at the sight before her. Her ex-sensei and current team leader was currently snuggled up under the sheets with a very beautiful woman. Both were clearly naked under the cover of the sheets. Except for Kakashi's mask, which was just where it always was. He opened a droopy onyx eye, which quickly widened in shock. "Sakura?!"

She grimaced as the woman beside him stirred. "When your ready we found them." ignoring his spluttered reply she stalked out of the room and back down to where Naruto was leaning against the doorframe. She felt disgusted with their leader.

_That filthy old pervert can't even go one night without testing out new **Icha Icha **tactics on the first broad he sees! _

Naruto looked at his long time friend and was surprised to see she looked livid. "Sakura-chan what's wrong?"

She grimaced and laughed harshly, " He was a little busy when I walked in if you catch my drift."

Naruto's eyes widened as they walked outside. "You don't mean..?!"

Sakura nodded.

"That perverted old man! He's worse than ero-sennin!"

"You know he really isn't that old, I think it's just the hair…but yeah I agree with you."

There was a 'poof behind them and Kakashi stepped forward, he was rubbing the back of his head and his eye was shut in an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that, I was err, catching up with an old friend last night and things got…carried away."

Sakura put her hands on her hips and glared at him. "Don't you dare try to be cute! That was totally irresponsible!"

"Cute?"

"Kakashi-senerr I mean Kakashi, Sakura-chan found the Sound-nin! We need to catch up ! Naruto was suddenly eager and Kakashi turned his attention away from Sakura. "Right."

He took a scroll from his vest and smeared a line of blood over the script. Forming seals over the scroll he brought it down to earth and with yet another 'poof'' Kakashi's pack of Ninja hounds appeared before them. Pakkun greeted them but quickly saw the seriousness of the situation. Kakashi gave them Sasuke's scent and they dispersed.

Sakura faithfully followed her teammates into the desert as they made for a cliff overhang that would serve as shelter until Kakashi's hounds returned with news of Sasuke.

_Please…_she thought…_please don't let me believe he's betrayed us again…_

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Here's another update 4 all of my faithful readers! Due to recent complaint I have lengthened this chapter and will try to make them longer in the future! Read and review so I know what u think!


	8. Sakura:Closed Closet Pervert!

-1That night Sakura looked over the timeline of her life while Naruto slumbered away in front of the small smokeless fire, Kakashi had not yet returned from his watch and she couldn't sleep._ I'm 20 now. That means it's been 18 years since I was a gennin 16 since I became a chuunin and 13 since I became a jounin. Sasuke returned right after I became a jounin, and he joined ANBU right away. Naruto had already been appointed captain of an ANBU squad but dropped out after Sasuke joined… Then Tsunade reformed Team Kakashi the night after my parents died…That means We've been a team for…ugh I was never good at math…_

She was jerked out of her reverie as Kakashi alighted in front of the fire.

He looked at Sakura, as if seeing her for the first time. _When she Naruto and Sasuke where gennin she was always the one who needed saving…_ Now though …she had grown much since Sasuke left in his power-hungry quest. He never saw her much after she had become a chuunin, but he was there for her testing all the same. Gone was the naïve little girl who had little skill in the battlefield. He had witnessed that part of her disappear when she passed her jounin exams with flying colors.

As a person he knew she was a good friend to Naruto and would be to him too if they ever got the chance to talk…

"Kakashi…"

Her voice threw him once more into reality. He looked up into her sea green eyes. "Who was that girl?"

"Who?" he asked stupidly.

"The one I caught you with today you baka!" she said grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"Oh umm…her name was Yuki and I knew her a while back…"

"Must've known her pretty well to get her into your bed after only one night…"

His breath constricted in his throat. He felt uncomfortable discussing his sex life with her, I mean who would talk about something like that with a former student?

"I just got caught up, she was the first girl I'd laid my hands on in a while…" He stopped himself from saying anymore. _Dammit she doesn't need to know this shit!_

But Sakura just laughed and said "Same old 'closed closet' pervert!"

He grunted and took off his vest. Turning around he took off his baggy shirt to reveal the tight one underneath the collar of which was pulled up around his face and served as his infamous mask. Kakashi frowned as he felt someone watching him. Turning around he met Sakura's eyes which a second earlier had been on his muscled chest. "Who's the 'closed closet' pervert now?" he said smiling underneath his mask.

To his surprise she blushed and looked away. "I have no idea what you're talking about" she mumbled. _She's actually embarrassed!_ he realized. He decided to test this theory. "Ah tell me Sakura-_chan _do you like what you see?"

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Sakura blushed an even more impressive shade of red than before. "Shut up Kakashi!" But truth be told, she kind of did. Was it her fault that that shirt clung to his lean and muscled torso like a second skin? No, but still he didn't need to know that…

He chuckled to himself and sat down across from her and next to Naruto. She could see his old ANBU tattoo near his muscled and scarred shoulder. "So Sakura, have you thought about ANBU as a future option?" _Damn him! How does he do that?_ "I've considered it, but I don't think I could handle being gone from the village all the time on S-rank missions. I would probably do it if requested but otherwise, I'd be happy to stay a jounin."

He opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by a 'poof' (Sakura's patience was wearing thin with all of the damn 'poofing' around here). It was Pakkun and the pack of ninja hounds. "We found him, but there is a strong jutsu that binds him to whoever cast it." said the droopy-eyed mutt.

"So he's being held against his will?" she asked, unable to keep the note of hope in her voice.

Pakkun nodded. Kakashi sighed and put his shirt and vest back on. So much for cooling off.

They woke Naruto and took off into the Desert. It was clear that the journey to Sasuke and his captors would be a long one…

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Now I know that you all are probably getting pissed at me for leaving the endings hanging like that but I swear a solemn oath that next chapter there will be hardcore action! nice guy pose

Sincerely yours- kakashisgirl101


	9. Beliving Betrayal

-1WARNING! I have upped the rating to M because in the near future there will be much gore and violence an very suggestive themes! So if you don't want to read any M rated fics I sincerely apologize!

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Sakura knelt beside Naruto on the cliff overhang. They had followed Kakashi's hounds for a whole night before coming to this place. Below them where at least twelve Sound-nin, standing around a smokeless fire. She could see that they where all heavily armed and waiting for something. She could see it from the way they stood. And from their ranking whoever they were waiting for was most likely their leader. Naruto could tell too and she sensed him tense with apprehension.

_Watch it Naruto! If you lose control and lose your hold on masking your chakra we're cooked!_

She could sense Kakashi behind them on the overhang. If they got into a fight he was their backup. If those guys knew they had Kakashi with them, who was coincidentally in every bingo book this side of the ocean, they would either flee or get them all killed, and their leader who most likely had Sasuke would never come.

One of the men around the fire looked around and started to speak. Sakura could hear what he was saying but only vaguely.

"The Boss should be alerted now."

The man directly across from him looked up and said, "Are you sure we weren't followed?"

The one next to him replied, "Do you doubt my abilities Ichi?"

They all flinched and shook their heads.

"Very well then, we alert him now."

He pulled a scroll out of a vest pocket and they each made a small cut on their fingers and smeared a portion on the tightly furled scroll. Sakura frowned. _Their leader is a summons?_

The man that held the scroll threw it into the air and quickly formed seals. Sakura only saw one, and nearly fell off the cliff. _A fire seal? What the hell are they doing? _

The man spun around in a quick circle and flames shot out and honed in on the scroll. It burst into flames and stayed in midair as it smoldered. When it disappeared there was only silence from the group of Sound-nin.

So she Naruto and Kakashi waited, and waited and waited, until finally an unnatural stirring in the wind, whipped up a cloud of sand before the dwindling fire and silent Sound-nin. Sakura and Naruto threw up their arm to protect their eyes and mouth from the stirred particles of the desert. When the sand cleared, in the fires place stood none other than Kabuto.

Sakura swallowed the lump in her throat as she recognized the man standing beside him. _Sasuke…_ She immediately knew something was wrong. Whatever jutsu may have been holding him, was no longer active, and he was dressed in a Sound uniform.

_Oh Kami please no! Not again!_

Naruto tensed beside her, they both knew betrayal when they saw it. But still, believing it was far harder.

Kabuto looked at the group of men. As one of them made to speak he stopped him. "You fools!", he hissed. "You were followed! And we're being watched."

Without warning, two needles flew through the coming dawn and sank into the flesh of Naruto's throat. In what to her seemed like slow-motion Naruto slowly tipped over the edge, a dazed look on his face. Just as he started to fall she jumped over and caught him, his weight dragging them down the Cliffside. Desperately she dug into the rock and started to climb. The height was a big advantage. Just as she rolled into a nook in the rock no less than six ninja began to leap up to where they were hidden.

She worked fast, taking the needles from Naruto's throat, and sending little bursts of chakra into the puncture wounds. She sighed with relief as he gasped and sat up. Lucky for him the needles didn't hit any vital points. "Naruto we've got to move!" she whispered . He nodded and they started to jump back to the top. About half way she noticed a piece of paper on the stone. "Shit! Naruto down now!"

Without hesitation they jumped off the side of the rock and went into a rolling freefall as the exploding notes where detonated.

They absorbed the impact with chakra enhanced feet, and bits of rock and rubble fell around them. _Kakashi! _She had to use every ounce of self control to stop herself from shouting out his name. Did he make it out?

As if to answer her question, the Copy-Nin appeared beside her, and despite the situation, he was smiling slightly under his mask. _How can he smile at a time like this?_

A voice sounded in front of them through the cloud of stirred sand.

"Uzumaki Naruto, Jinchuriki, apprentice to one of the Legendary Sannin, Jiraya, Jounin of the Village Hidden in the Leaf, Hatake Kakashi, Man Who Copied a Thousand Jutsu, or the Copy-nin, Trained by the Fourth Hokage, Jounin, and former ANBU captain of the Village Hidden in the leaf, son of the White Fang, and finally Haruno Sakura, medic-nin, apprentice to one of the other Legendary Sannin, Tsunade, Jounin. My my does this bring back memories…"

Naruto, Kakashi, and Sakura all prepared for battle as Sasuke Kabuto and the gang of Sound-nin stepped out of the haze, and back into their lives.

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----Okay if the action wasn't hardcore enough for you don't worry, there will be an epic fight scene next chapter, and to all of you who think I don't wright long enough chapters, I hope this Is long enough! Please review and tell me if I did okay!


	10. The Four Elements

-1They waited for them to attack first for they where severely outnumbered. When Kabuto gave the signal his cronies came at them, while he and Sasuke stood on the sidelines watching.

Furious at herself for believing he might have changed, and furious at Tsunade for not telling her the truth her fist slammed into the nearest enemy. He choked as her gloved hand sank into his stomach, rupturing his kidney. He went down and she kicked out at the next man. He dodged and tried to stab her with a strange knife, but she dodged his attack and her sandal crashed into his jaw, snapping his neck.

In the split second between the next nin's attack she glanced around to look at Kakashi and Naruto. Both where going at it with two nin, they didn't appear injured yet. During her brief analysis three of Kabuto's thugs had surrounded her.

"What's the matter little girl", one of them sneered, "waiting for your boyfriends to come and save you?"

Her eyes glinted dangerously, "I do _not_ need to be saved."

And without further ado she leaped into the air and sent a rain of kunai down on her assailants. As she landed someone caught her form behind with a blunt object. Her eyes watered and she bit her lip to keep form crying out. Her attacker turned out to be the man who had pulled out the scroll. "Battle isn't for the women." he said smiling.

"Really? Then how did I get here?"

She punched him in his shoulder, and blocked the chakra flow from the neck down.

"Bitch! What did you do to me?"

"Sorry just proving a point."

Without another word she stabbed him in the throat, causing him to stain the sand red and gurgle to his death.

Somehow during the battle she ended up fighting alongside Kakashi. "Sakura are Kabuto and Sasuke still there?"

She threw a red eyed, dark-skinned man into the remains of the rocky outcrop, and replied, "Yes, the bastards are just trying to tire us out for when we finally get to them."

"I know" he said , driving a cloud of shurikin into the enemy's chest. "How's Naruto holding up?"

"I don't know give me a boost."

He kicked away another man, and knelt in front of her, fingers laced together. She stepped up and he launched her into the air. Two nin rose to meet her and she kicked them down, giving her a clear view of her blonde friend. He was steadily cutting down a fresh wave of the enemy that had appeared out of nowhere, and slowly, but surely, making his way to the treacherous Uchiha.

She plummeted back down to earth and Kakashi caught her, setting her down on the bloodstained sand. "He's going toward Sasuke; and Kabuto summoned more Sound-nin."

Kakashi swore and looked to the sky. Naruto was holding them off but not for long.

"Sakura, what jutsu do you know?"

She frowned, she understood that he wanted to get this done quickly. Only then did she realize the gash starting at his left shoulder and ending around his midriff. "Kakashi how are you even walking with that wound?"

"Answer me!"

"I have been working on a new jutsu with Shishou, it could probably take them all out."

"Good, get to Naruto and tell him to help me clear the rest of the enemy with his Rasengan, then I am counting on you to drive off Kabuto and Sasuke."

"You're trusting _me _with this?"

"I have depleted almost all my chakra, and you I see have been conserving it and you know as well as I do that Naruto's probably drained all of his, so you are the one to finish this."

He looked into her sea-green eyes with his own, serious, mismatched ones. She could see that he trusted her. That meant more to her than he knew.

"Okay Kakashi but I need to get on that rubble once I get Naruto for you."

"You can manage." he said giving her one of his goofy smiles.

She smiled back, though weakly and charged into the mass of ninja, towards Naruto's familiar chakra.

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Kakashi looked at the blonde Kyuubi holder as he appeared panting at his side. He could sense what remained of his chakra stirring, and being focused to hi right hand for the Rasengan. He did the same for his Chidori. In the distance he saw Sakura steal away to the stony rubble.

_You can do it Sakura…I know you can._

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She pulled out her canteen and poured the contents into a dent in the stone. She needed all four elements for this to work.

As Kakashi and Naruto plowed through the enemy she formed the necessary seals and as the last of them fell she unleashed the jutsu.

"_Dragon of the Four Elements!"_

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Kakashi looked up as a massive head rose above them. It was the head and neck of a dragon, it's eyes fiery and body made of earth and water, the wind kicked up around them as it descended upon Kabuto and Sasuke. Their screams echoed around the empty stretch of desert for all to hear.

When it dispersed he looked at Kabuto and Sasuke.

Kabuto was missing a chunk of his midriff and one of legs, while Sasuke remained unscathed.

"Impossible!"

Naruto was gaping at the untouched backstabber. He looked at them and said, "Kabuto may fall prey to such mediocre jutsu but I am better than that."

Kabuto choked, he was bleeding freely and heavily, and leaning on Sasuke. Death no doubt was closing in on him fast.

Sasuke eyed him with distaste. "I better get him back to the compound, he's getting blood all over my new shirt."

And without another word he disappeared with a twist of the wind.

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---okay I hope that action was hardcore enough for you because it took me a while to figure out how to write it! Review and tell me if I did okay!


	11. An Amazing Medic and an Amazing Escapee

-1The unforgiving rays of the Desert sun beat down on Naruto as he dragged and unconscious Kakashi toward the rubble where Sakura was kneeling. He was on his last legs, and staggered as Kakashi was deposited at her feet. Before he himself passed out he managed to say, "Sakura that was amazing…"

Then the world went black and he knew no more.

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Sakura panted heavily as she used what little remained of her chakra to summon Kioshi.

"Go to the village north of here and get the Kazekage! Tell him that a team of nin from the Leaf Village need his assistance about 10 miles south of his village."

She watched desperately as the cat disappeared with a twist of the wind. Their only hope was for him to get Gaara to send a recovery team to help. She couldn't carry both Kakashi and Naruto, while she herself was wounded.

_Please hurry…_

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She carried Kakashi and Naruto (not at the same time --') to a stretch of shade that the rubble had created and took a swig of water from Kakashi's canteen. After her thirst was slated she put the canteen to Naruto's lips and thanked Kami that he drank. That left Kakashi. Her hand stopped as she lifted the bottle to his clothed lips. _Should I take off his mask? _Even as the fleeting thought came to her she dismissed it. It would be a betrayal of his trust. But still it was tempting as she poured the liquid into his cloth covered mouth.

By the time the sun was high in the sky she was struggling to keep Naruto and Kakashi's body temperature down. Both where contracting a fever and there was little she could do for her medical supplies had been lost in the explosion and her chakra drained. She took off Naruto's Jounin vest and shirt. She smiled softly to herself, as her eyes fell on the spot on his muscled abdomen where she knew the seal would be. He had changed a lot. He no longer wore neon orange jumpsuits, and had actually come to realize what it would actually mean to be Hokage. But still that did not deter him, it was still his life's ambition. And of course he had grown to be very tall, not to mention handsome. But he was still like a big brother to her no matter how much he flirted with her and he knew it. That was why he did it, she thought much of the time.

The smile faded as she removed Kakashi's vest. He hadn't changed at all. Still the same, horrid posture, reading porn all the time, smoothly nonchalant. He was frustratingly interesting. She tossed the torn, and bloody, vest aside and worked on getting his sweaty baggy shirt over his head. It was easier said than done. 150 pounds of muscle and deadweight was hard to work with. But finally she managed.

As the cloth reluctantly was pulled over his head she lost her balance and landed heavily on his chest. She winced as sticky blood smeared over arm. As she looked at the wound she realized it was serious, more serious than she had at first thought. With her hands on either side of him she pushed herself up and looked right into a pair of goofy mismatched eyes.

"Sakura, I don't think molesting your unconscious patients is going to help your reputation in the medical field much." he said smiling.

She blushed furiously and pushed herself off of him. "I was trying to get your fever down you ingrate!"

He raised a silver eyebrow and pushed his hitae-ate (did I spell that right?) down over his sharing an. "How is that supposed to bring my fever _down_?"

She snorted. "Just stay still until they get here."

"Who?" he asked putting his hands behind his head.

"I sent a summons to alert Gaara, and send a relief squad."

Kakashi grunted and closed his eye. He could see a hospital coming a mile away…

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Sakura's eyes widened in shock as a red-haired young man approached them with three others. "Gaara-sama! When I asked for your assistance I didn't expect you to come personally!"

He looked at her an expressionless mask on his face and crossed his arms. "I had nothing better to do."

She shook off the feeling that he was sizing her up and said, "My teammates need medical attention and I need a stable environment to help them, may I use your hospital, supplies and staff for their assistance?"

His cool blue eyes blinked at her, and she shivered. "We will assist you in any possible way, so that you and your teammates can return home safely."

Sakura bowed and thanked him. Two of the three nin that had accompanied him grabbed Kakashi and Naruto and waved off her attempts to help.

And so the beaten and exhausted pink-haired girl followed the Kazekage into the desert, praying that her boys would hold up long enough for her to save them.

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_Damn, what a night…_thought a certain pink-haired medic. She had fervishly tended to both men all day and night. Naruto's chakra was completely depleted, and fever severe. She had finally brought the fever down around dusk.

Kakashi on the other hand had needed emergency surgery, whatever had cut him had punctured a lung, one of his kidneys and severed some muscle. She worked for 7 hours to assure that he was safe and stable. What little chakra she had gained back had went into that operation.

Now she sat on a bench that sat between Naruto and Kakashi's rooms. Sakura was panting and exhausted but she knew that her friends and teammates would now be safe.

Sighing she stood up and stretched. _wait a minute, where am I going to sleep?_ she thought as she shuffled down the hall.

As she rounded a corner pondering this predicament her way was blocked by none other than Gaara. He was leaning against the wall and looking down at the tile floor. Upon seeing her he looked into her luminescent green eyes.

It amazed him how they could seem to see right through to the soul. He tilted his head to the side at her puzzled expression and said, "You are an amazing medic, Haruno Sakura. We have prepared a room for you."

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"Sakura-sama!"

Sakura jerked awake and stumbled to the door in the wrinkled cloths she had worn yesterday. Upon opening the door she saw a frantic nurse. "What's the problem?" she asked fearing the worse.

"Hatake-kun's bed…it's empty!"

Her eye twitched and she bolted out the door.

_Damn, damn, damn and damn it all thrice over again! _she thought as she ran to the hospital. _That bastard can't even stay in the hospital after he's had life-threatening injuries and surgery!_

Finally she pushed open the doors and stepped inside the near-empty hospital. _He can't have gotten far with those wounds which means he's probably still here…_

Finally after ten minutes of stalking, she sensed his familiar chakra signal one floor above her. Clenching her fists, she ran up the stairs and skidded into the hallway.

Her eyes fell upon a very guilty looking Kakashi who was currently perched upon a moveable bed. "Aha!"

His one eye widened and he ran for it.

She finally caught up to him one floor down, and just as he was passing two nin and an old woman she leaped forward and tackled him to the ground.

He cried out in evident pain as she twisted his arm behind his back. "What the hell Is wrong with you?" she shouted. He squirmed but his injuries prevented him from twisting around.

"I was…just out for a walk!"

"Bullshit! You were thinking of a way to get out without getting caught!"

"True but this is no way to treat an injured and recovering man!"

She glared at his bandaged back and let him up, though she still had his arm twisted and held it tight.

"Sakura?" she turned around with Kakashi in tow and saw Tamari, grinning.

"Oh Hello Tamari-sama!" she said smiling. "Just taking care of a patient of mine!"

"Ohaiyo Tamari-san!" replied Kakashi smiling and giving a two-fingered salute.

Tamari smiled shook her head, and held out a scroll to Sakura. "This just came from the Gondaime."


	12. Sake and the Senbon

-1_**Previous to Sakura discovering his escape Kakashi wrote to the Fifth and gave her mission stats and information. This is how she knows all about this. This is for all the nit-pickers out there…You know who you are!**_

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_Sakura, Kakashi, and Naruto, please forgive me for not telling you our suspicions. I thought that if you knew you would not perform the mission to the full extent of your abilities. We have discovered that while Sasuke was here he stole several secret scrolls with powerful jutsu recorded on them. One of them was a shielding technique which would explain why that jutsu didn't kill him. Currently the Leaf Village is preparing a full-on wipe out attack on the sound village. It is because of your efforts that we have been able to do so. Your service to this village is beyond comparison. Again I thank you. _

_Sincerely, _

_Tsunade, Fifth Hokage, Sannin_

Sakura had to force herself not to crumple the scroll into a miniscule ball. Her fury at the Gondaime was immeasurable at the moment. She Kakashi and Naruto where sitting in Naruto's room. The blonde was silent and she left him to brood, pulling Kakashi out with her. As she tugged his arm to pull him into his room her foot caught on the door and she stumbled, dragging him along with her.

As her back hit the wall, his ninja skills kicked into action, he twisted around so he wouldn't fall and caught himself on the wall, throwing his hands on either side of Sakura's shoulders.

For just a split few seconds his face was dangerously close to hers and their eyes met. A tingly sensation rippled down her senses as his scent of dogs, dirt and rain filled her nostrils.

His heartbeat quickened as his one eye fell upon her pink tresses and serene jade eyes.

"Y-you better get back into bed or you'll stretch the wound Kakashi."

He suddenly realized how close they actually were and pulled away. Without complaint he settled back onto his bed and promptly fell asleep.

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"Kakashi-san you look like you haven't slept well, can I get you anything?"

_Just a certain girl with pink hair…_

"No thank you."

He leaned back on the pillow and shut his eye. It was true, he hadn't slept well the previous night…all he could think of was what might have happened if they had stayed like that for even a second longer.

_No she is my former student…a good friend… not some girl to have a fling with. Your older than her, and a grown man, get a grip!_

This was what he told himself until he finally convinced himself that it was an accident, nothing more. And that is what stayed firmly lodged in his mind as he recovered and they finally set out for home.

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"Sakura what's wrong?" asked the quiet voice of Hyuuga Hinata.

Team Kakashi had been home for three days now and she was currently helping the young heiress, with some housework. They had become good friends over the years.

"Oh it's nothing Hinata."

Kakashi had explicitly ignored her when they returned, Tsunade had banned her from all missions for a month because Sakura demolished her office in a fit of rage, and Naruto, was moping around like a kicked puppy.

Finally she finished her work and bid Hinata farewell.

As furious, and confused thoughts jumbled around in her head as she walked down the street, a familiar voice called her name.

"Hey Forehead, I've been looking everywhere for you!"

Her other blonde friend walked over to her and slung an arm around her shoulders. "Me and the girls are going out for a drink tonight, wanna come?"

Sakura smiled at her boisterous friends antics. They were both jounin together, and had passed on the same level.

"Sure thing Pig."

Ino grinned at her wickedly with blue eyes. "Oh and it's a girls night out, so _I'll_ be dressing you."

Sakura's joy at having some warm sake immediately faded, and a pit of foreboding filled her stomach. Ino insisted on prettying her up for these so called 'girls night out' affairs because Sakura apparently had become 'one of the guys'.

She was in for a rough night…

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"Kakashi you old dog! How've you been?"

Kakashi grunted as Genma Asuma, Kurenai, and Gai, seated themselves around his previously unoccupied table. He had come to this bar for some quiet liquor time but that wasn't going according to plan…

Gai caught his mopey expression and leaped up saying, "Kakashi! Where is your spirit of YOUTH?!"

Genma rolled his eyes and Asuma lit up another cigarette. Kakashi glared at him. "Well Gai I have to say it ran away when you showed up…as I should have."

The defeated Green Beast sat down and ordered a round of sake.

Genma laughed and flicked the senbon in his teeth, "What's up you old grouch?"

Kakashi said nothing and downed the sake through his mask.

Suddenly Genma's attention slid away from Kakashi, and over to the entrance. Three very delicious looking kunoichi (1) had entered the bar. He recognized all of them, but one in particular caught his eye.

His hungry eyes slid up her muscled, smooth legs, and over her curvy form, which was encased in a tight black dress. Her pink tresses were pinned up and to top it all off were sling back heels.

Asuma noticed his gaze and said, "You cant be serious Genma."

Kurenai, looked up at the kunoichi and her eyes widened upon seeing Sakura. "She is way to young for you and besides, she would never, give in to you Genma."

Kakashi finally looked up from the shot glass in his hand. It shattered on the floor at the sight of Sakura.

Genma didn't notice and said to Kurenai and Asuma, "You wanna bet? Watch this."

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Sakura felt very uncomfortable as she walked around tables full of men who were looking at her like dogs after a bone (quite literally in some cases [innuendo). "Ino, do you have to do this to me every time?"

Ten Ten grinned at her and they looked for a clear table.

Finally they spotted one near a table of jounin, all of which she recognized. Kakashi was there, drinking his sake in a nonchalant way that made her want to knock his teeth out.

Keeping a hardened resolve not to look in his direction as they passed she stared at the floor. Which proved to be a very stupid idea, because as soon as her feet were passing their table, and arm snaked around her waist, and jerked her down into someone's lap.

Her jade orbs looked into the brown eyes of Genma.

"Hey good lookin' how bout' a drink on me?"

Her eyes narrowed as he grinned suggestively at her. "Your kidding me right?"

"Not really."

His face moved closer so that he was almost nose-to-nose with her. "Back off." she snarled.

"Come on don't be like that…"

His face moved closer still. "WATCH IT!"

Absolutely furious she punched him as hard as she could without chakra and he let her go.

"Owdamnmotherfucker!"  
He held a broken, profusely bleeding nose. Kakashi had stood up, and led the injured Genma from the bar.

Sakura bid the others goodbye and took her seat with Ino and Ten Ten.

Ino pouted at her, "He was cute!"

Sakura ordered some sake, "Not my type."

"You tell 'em Sakura!" said Ten Ten.

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"Thanks Kakashi." spluttered Genma as Kakashi left him at the hospital doors.

His eye glared at Genma, "Try something like that again and I'll do more than break your nose."

Genma's brown eyes widened. "Is that a threat?"

Kakashi gave a dangerously adorable smile. "No it's a promise."

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_**Damn Genma got SERVED!!! You tell him Kakashi! (1) kunoichi is the plural form of kunoichi right?**_


	13. Dancing With Disaster

-1_**Hello! Im sorry it took me so long to update! I hope this is sufficient! **_

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Kakashi shuffled his feet along the dark streets of Konoha. His drink fogged mind told him where to go, and his feet meekly did there bidding. After that breif encounter with Genma he just started walking around the city. Some stared but he hardly noticed. He just needed to get his mind off her.

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After a few drinks Sakura was feeling a bit tipsy and she excused herself to walk home. She stumbled slightly as she walked but managed to walk half way to her house. Then a drunken thought struck her to visit the memorial. So her feet made there way down the dark streets.

The liquor she had consumed caused her mind to realease some very disturbing thoughts that she knew she had been repressing.

_I failed Sasuke…I failed Naruto…I failed…Kakashi. _

_I was always two steps behind…_

_I thought I had improved, but im still a failiur._

_Kakashi…he wont even look at me. He is disappointed. I want him to realize I have become stronger._

She was sobbing softly as her body reached the war memorial. Crying tears of bitter shame and regret she fell to her knees and her numb fingers finally traced over the names of her parents.

It had started to rain. The tie on her hair snapped and thick pink hair fell around her face and into her eyes.

Suddenly, driven by a mad desire to prove herself wrong she stood up and began to walk towards the one person in this world that could convince her she was worth a damn. She barely noticed where her feet were going as she entered the worn down old apartment complex, and climbed the rickety stairs. Sobbing she pounded on the last door.

She heard footsteps and grabbed one of her arms as a silver haired man answered the door.

"Kakashi, I'm so sorry!"

She started to cry uncontrollably on the threshold of his door. Too afraid to come closer, too desperate to walk away.

"Sakura…"

His one black eye gazed at the mishappen girl sadly. She was breaking his heart. "Come here, its all right."

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and guided her inside.

She continued to cry as he sat her down on his battered old sofa and put on some warm tea.

_Sure enough, I come home to forget about her and she shows up on my doorstep._

He ran a nervous hand through his thick spiky hair and sat down next to her.

"I-I-I F-failed y-you and Naruto both! A-and I e-especially failed S-Sasuke!"

She put her hands over her face and he gaped behind his mask. "How can you think that?"

"I let him go! I let him leave and I could have stopped him! If I had done more, he wouldn't have put you all through so much!"

"Sakura look at me."

His hand gently cupped her face and he tilted her head upward so she would look him in the eye.

Her jade eyes were clouded with tears, regret and liquor. It made his stomach clench, this good girl…Sasuke had no right to break her heart like he did.

"You have always done your very best to protect your team, and Konoha, that should mean more to you than what you could have done."

She sniffed and he wiped away a single tear that fell down her face.

"Why don't you wash up, I have some old cloths to keep you warm."

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She slowly shed her cloths and stepped into the shower. The warm water ran over her body and she let the steam muddle her already muddled mind. After a while she stepped out and dried off and dressed in her underwear.

Looking uneasily at the clothes Kakashi had provided she pulled his baggy shirt over her head, and slipped on his old sweats that hung a little low on her dainty hips.

Sakura shuddered and slipped outside the door. Kakashi was in the kitchen sitting at the table, wearing a tank top and baggy black shorts. He looked up and handed her a cup of tea. She downed it in one gulp and sat down across from him.

He clenched his fists. Sasuke had done this…the bastard deserved to die in the worst fashion.

He looked up as he heard her sobs again.

There was nothing he could say, so he got up and wrapped his arms around her.

It was dancing with disaster he knew, but there was nothing more he could do.

"Kakashi…please forgive me…"

"There's nothing to forgive Sakura."

He buried his face in her sweet smelling hair and she snuggled into his warm embrace.

As he made to pull away, he realized the heartbroken girl had fallen asleep.

Sighing he scoped her up in his arms and tucked her in under the warm blanket of his bed.

It had been a while since he slept on his couch.

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_**Hahahah! I am SO evil!!! Well I promise to lengthen next chapter…so deal! Please Review! Dani is a good girl and I wish to know if you think I did a good job!**_


	14. Checkups Threats and Agreement

_**Hello! Just so you know this chapter is based off of a song by Jesse McCartney…yes I know, I deserve to be beaten with a stick and thrown out into the street. But still I heard it and thought: 'damn good song for their relationship… and don't worry people there wont be anymore songfic chapters in the future! J**_

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_Hmm…this bed is comfy…but it smells like dog…dog, oranges and…warmth. Why does it seem so familiar?_

Sakura's eyes snapped open and she sat bolt upright. She whimpered in pain as a sake induced headache crashed down on her brain and buried her face back under the blanket.

_This isn't my room! What did I do last night? Well my clothes are still on so…_

Then the memories started to come back. Her breath constricted in her throat as she remembered her drunk pity-fest that she had dragged Kakashi into. Her mind wandered aimlessly back to that hug. Sakura cursed her foolishness…and cursed her stomach which was doing back-flips at the memory.

"It was just a hug." she told herself.

But that 'just a hug' was furrowing deeper into her mind…she couldn't stop herself from thinking of him. When she needed someone to crawl to he was there to show her to stand up, when she needed to cry he would dry her tears, he saved her protected her was there for her that was how he always was always there for her…and he was now picking up the pieces of her shattered heart.

Shakily she got up from the bed and stumbled into the living room. The couch was vacant so she flopped down and hugged her knees. It smelled like him. She looked around the messy disorderly living space. The outdated television, the battered old sofa, random trash, old dirty dishes…all positively screamed 'Kakashi' . She smiled against the cloth of his old sweats and recalled many memories involving the masked scarecrow.

The time she had fallen off of the Hokage's Mountain because Naruto scared her half to death, Kakashi had come out of nowhere and caught her. Catching them both on the side of the stone mountain. How he had yelled at Naruto…she still found it funny.

Where was Kakashi? Was she to wait for him? How rude could you get? Asshole…but adorable asshole none the less….damn him.

She was jerked out of her reverie as a knock sounded at the door.

_Shit!!! What to do?! If I answer, whoever it is will assume…. crap! I'll just pretend I'm not here…_

"Kakashi!!! Open the door or I'll break it down!"

Sakura snorted and got up. There would just be no ignoring the oh so obnoxious Naruto Uzumaki. Her hand hesitated slightly as it fell on the door knob. He would automatically jump to all the wrong conclusions…but what kind of cold hearted person would turn their back on the ramen loving goofball?

"Good morning Naruto-kun!"

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Naruto felt his jaw drop at the sight of the petit pink-haired girl standing in the doorway, beaming a blindingly bright and beautiful smile at him…wearing Kakashi's clothes… in his apartment…

"S-sakura-c-chan?"

"Yes Naruto?"

"What are you doing…here?" He closed his eyes and rubbed the back of his head, half in embarrassment, half as a distraction. If Sakura was here for _that _reason then, he could only guess at what he would say to Kakashi…or her…

"It's nothing like that Naruto, I just stopped by last night and he helped me with some problems." He noticed her switch from foot to foot.

"And his cloths?"

"Well…all I was wearing at the time was a dress, and I was soaked to the skin so he told me to change before I got sick."

"Really?"

"Yes Naruto, do you honestly think I would randomly show up and have sex with him?"

He gulped blushed and looked down as her jade eyes bore into his own electric blue ones. "NN-no Sakura -chan."

She laughed at him and pulled him inside the apartment. "Well what did you come to see Kakashi-sensei for?"

"Tsunade baa-chan wanted him for something but he's not here…where is he anyway?"

Sakura flopped down on the couch and he sat down next to her, putting his boots up on the old wooden coffee table. He placed his hands on his head and Sakura said, "I dunno I woke up and he wasn't here…I want to leave but I don't know where my cloths are."

Naruto snorted. "Dirty old perv probably stashed them somewhere."

She slapped him across the shoulder and he yelped. Her hits, even without chakra could be bone cracking, and at the moment he was sure she had just left a sizeable bruise on his bone. "He doesn't think of me like that Naruto! He has his morals you know!" He waved his arms above his head in self defense, "Okay Sakura-chan alright!"

His pleas were interrupted by the sound of the door opening and closing again. Sakura jumped up as if she had been waiting and Naruto raised his eyebrow curiously. "Sakura! Are you up yet? I have something for your hangover…and a change of clothes."

Kakashi stepped into the living room cradling a paper bag in one arm, his left hand was stuffed into his pocket. His air was as spiky and silver as ever. His one eye traveled from Sakura to Naruto and he waved a two fingered greeting to the blonde.

"Good morning Naruto, what brings you to my humble abode?"

"Tsunade baa-chan wants you to come and see her for a checkup on that surgery Sakura did on you or something…" he said getting up.

Sakura meekly spoke up, "Can I have my cloths Kakashi?"

His one eye rested on her. She looked so petit and cute in his oversized baggy cloths. It made him want to scoop her up and hug her all the more. But he repressed the urge and held out a wrapped package to her. She took it and scurried away to the bathroom.

He saw Naruto's eyes follow her, and looked down as they came to meet his own. "What's wrong with Sakura Kaka-sensei?"

Kakashi sighed and set the bag down on the coffee table. "She blames herself for so much Naruto…For Sasuke, for this past mission…she feels responsible for letting him go and splitting up the team…it's complete nonsense, but to her it makes sense." His hand combed through his tangled mass of hair as Naruto's eyes widened. "But!…It was never her fault! If anything it was mine!"

"Naruto!" The blonde looked up at the sharpness in his voice.

"It was no ones fault but Sasuke's. He threw away the best and only life he ever had."

Naruto nodded and Sakura walked out of the bathroom. She was wearing a black skirt and underneath that white knee length shorts. She had traded in her sandals for black shin-high boots. Over her torso was a black, trimmed with white sleeveless shirt with the Haruno crest on the back. Her black headband was tied, as usual, bandana style, holding her shoulder length pink locks away from her face, framing her stunning jade eyes.

She noticed the two men staring at her. "Well Kakashi, Naruto I better go, my apartment hasn't been cleaned in forever!" she laughed nervously and edged out the door.

"Well Naruto I better go for that checkup before Tsunade comes tearing down my door."

He made to move toward the window but Naruto's firm grasp on his arm stopped him. "Kakashi…Hurt her…try anything like that with her…I'll kill you."

Despite himself Kakashi felt a knot form in his gut. He could tell that this boy would indeed try to kill him if he hurt that pink-haired cherry blossom.

The blonde demon holder let him go and strode out the door. Kakashi swore the air chilled as he shut the door.

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_His threat was justified of course…I have no right whatsoever to feel for her. I shouldn't….but I want to…._

_No! She's 24 for fuck sakes, not to mention your former student! But…I just cant turn away from her…not after so many have before me._

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"HATAKE PAY ATTENTION!!!!!" Tsunade smacked the air-headed man upside the head and he tumbled off the table. "S-sorry Hokage-sama."

He grinned behind his mask and rubbed the back of his head. She glared into his one eye and he fell silent and slid back onto the examination table. "Now as I was saying, Sakura did a phenomenal job on healing you even with so much chakra drain, however the wound will be very tender, and if you stretch it you may rupture your kidney...again. So Kakashi what do you think that means?"

His eye closed in a happy grin. "Keep on training so that it gets better?"

"So close…but no. No missions for at least a week and absolutely no training!"

"But Hokage-sama I need to stay in shape!"

The blonde haired woman in pigtails chuckled deviously and leaned against the table. "I might be more lenient if your version of 'training' didn't involve regularly climbing up a cliff with one hand tied behind your back."

He snorted and gazed out the window. "I suppose your right."

Tsunade's eyes widened a fraction. To those who didn't know Kakashi that simple agreement meant nothing. But Tsunade did know Kakashi, if he agreed just like that something was seriously corrupt. "Kakashi are you---"

"I must be going now Hokage-sama."

Without another word he slipped off the table and heaved himself through the open window.

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_**How was that? I think this is my longest chapter ever:P please review and tell me what you think!**_


	15. Letting Go

-1_**Hi! Me again…you know that person who keeps on writing this crap? Yup! It's the author all right and do I have a bombshell for you! Well, after this chapter, there will be a sequel, titled…Rights Wrongs and Faith, so stay tuned!**_

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"Sakura-chan you're not eating your ramen!" pointed out Naruto.

Sakura grimaced and poked at the lump of noodles with her chopsticks. "Well Naruto if you had been listening to me at the hospital you would have heard that I'm not hungry."

After she left Kakashi's apartment, she went home cleaned her apartment and was instantly bored. She grimaced at her decision to demolish Tsunade's office, now there was nothing to do but dwell on her feelings. Sakura mumbled something to Naruto about feeling sick and walked away in the direction of the bridge.

_All my life I've done what was best for other people….not thinking of myself…because it reminded me of how selfish I was wanting Sasuke to stay because I was infatuated with him. Now look at me…_

Ever since the Uchiha left on his power hungry quest she had settled for second rate men, only to break it off later for some half-thought-up ideal or morale. Looking back it sounded like the exact same shit Kakashi would pull.

Her mind again switched to him. His stupid messy hair, the mysterious mask that hid a clearly attractive face, his nonchalant attitude. He had always cared about her and she knew it. When no one else seemed to give a damn he would lend a listening ear, and he seemed genually concerned with her problems, not like Naruto who wrote off her emotional turmoil as 'hormones', or Tsunade who dismissed 'mindless girl chatter'.

She stared down into the swirling waters of the creek that ran through Konoha, thoughts weighing down on her like a ton of bricks.

She had seen him drag Genma out of the bar that night she broke his nose. Recalling how she had basically crawled to his door. A more insensitive man would have turned her away. A wiser girl would not have gone to cry to a man who made her stomach turn over whenever he entered a room. She couldn't exactly pinpoint the moment her feelings for him had begun to run deeper than mere friendship…but it hadn't happened over night.

She remembered a few months ago he commented on how pretty she looked in her new dress she had bought for a family wedding. She remembered felling herself blush and look down, mumbling a 'thank you'. And then a couple of weeks after that when she had screamed at him for walking in on her in her underwear. He had laughed and teased her and she almost beheaded him with her floor lamp. Later she had apologized but he merely laughed and teased her more. Then there was just a few weeks ago when he thought he had killed her…she could still see that look in his eyes…Last night he had stirred something in her she couldn't explain and was a little afraid of. She could tell it was a dangerous feeling.

Frustrated she turned away from her reflection and began the trek to the memorial. The stormy skies that had been brewing over the city the past few days gave a moody rumble and released a downpour of rain upon her.

_Great! Just Fucking great! I want to go see my dead parents and it starts to rain! How sickeningly cliché. _She determinedly trudged through the sodden streets avoiding the civilians fleeing to the shelter of their homes and families. They didn't know how lucky they were to wake up each morning and know there would always be someone to love. That was the danger of loving a shinobi. They could be there one day whispering about 'I love you's' and 'forevers' when tomorrow you could get a call from some strange ninja, who would inform you that the love of your life was killed in the line of duty.

She sighed as her sandaled feet met grass and mud. Perhaps that was the price of being a shinobi, losing the people around you…or your love. At this thought she stopped . She was not alone at the memorial today. She swallowed a lump in her throat as she recognized who it was.

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_Obito…she means so much to me…I don't want to lose her like I did you. If I let her go I'll never forgive myself…but if I start something, I don't know if I'll be able to forgive myself either. Damn...I wish you could talk to me…or at least send me a sign. Nothing special, just a little nudge in the right direction. _

"Kakashi?"

_Damn you! I meant a different kind of sign you dead little son of a---_

"Kakashi what are you doing in the rain all alone?"

Without turning around he replied, "What does it look like?"

He flinched mentally as she walked up to stand beside him. His hands were stuffed into his pockets. The rain had made his hair fall messily into his face, he was glad for it, it probably hid the fear in his eye.

"It looks to me like you're here to beat yourself up and blame yourself for the death of your friend just like you do every day in a sick attempt to compensate for it."

She knelt in front of the stone kunai and placed a red lily upon the gravestone. He gazed over her curved body, taking in her pink hair, and the way she pushed it away from her face. He blinked when he realized he hadn't answered her. "I don't come here to do that."

She looked him in the eye. "Yes you do. I know that you're ashamed of what you did…how you couldn't be like your father…like Obito…"

He gulped. Her jade eyes were blazing. She was dangerously near to him, his heart was beating faster and faster. "I'm not proud of my past Sakura…"

The young woman crossed her arms and glared. "Neither am I! After last night do you honestly think I am proud, or at peace with what I've done?"

He looked away. "Nobody truly is."

"You mean so much to me! I wont let you ruin yourself!"

He looked down into her eyes as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Regret will only get you so far in life Kakashi…Please…move on and save yourself"

His eye widened as her right hand reached up and brushed against his cheek. He was paralyzed as her delicate fingers hooked onto the edge of his mask, slowly pulling it down.

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That bastard! Sakura promptly decided to smack him upside his gorgeous head for hiding such a handsome face from her eyes….right after she kissed him.

She closed her eyes and slowly brought her lips up to his own. They molded together, perfect as could be. She shivered in delight when he put one hand behind her neck, and wrapped his free arm around her waist. She shivered again when his tongue slowly and methodically moved around her closed mouth. Smiling she parted her lips…slow and torturous. He grunted in amusement and tasted every inch of her mouth. Sakura relished in the taste of him…oranges, and Kakashi.

Abruptly he pulled away. "Sakura", he whispered hoarsely, "This is wrong."

"Nothing that wrong could feel this right Hatake Kakashi."

She grazed her fingertips over the precious face he had hid from the world, in shame for his father's wrongdoings. He flinched at her touch and backed away leaving her to cross her arms against the cold. "Some things in this world tend to feel so right one second…and then they rip your world apart."

Slowly she narrowed her eyes into a death glare rival to the Hokage's. "You sad, pathetic man."

He grimaced at her words as if she were force feeding him bitter poison. "You would turn away from l--…afection, and loyalty just because you wont let go of the past. Don't say I didn't warn you Kakashi, because I did, and I am. Learn to let go."

Without another word she strode off the training grounds, and onto the rainy path, leaving him alone with his thoughts, unmasked for the first time in a long time.

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Sakura flopped down on the battered old sofa wondering why she'd done it. To be honest she didn't know…it was on impulse. For some reason his presence made her bold, and confident. Confident enough to say tings that had been on her mind for years. She sighed and ran her fingers through her mused hair. She giggled softly at the fresh memory of that kiss. He was the best kisser she had ever laid her lips on. Sakura berated herself for thinking such petty thoughts while Kakashi was probably in emotional turmoil.

_The bastard deserves it…if he wouldn't be so stubborn, and chivalrous he would be happy. Instead he _is _stubborn and chivalrous and I got so frustrated with him that I kissed the crap out of him…oh god this could ruin our friendship! He could get into trouble with Tsunade-Shishou…damn I've really made a mess of things…_

She chewed on her bottom lip and hugged her knees up to her chest. Her apartment seemed vast and lonely without another person there…it was still raining. The cold loneliness pressed down around her, and she wished, if only for a moment happiness could find her again.

She was jerked from her pitiful thoughts by a knock on the door. It was soft and pleading, she knew who it was before she even got to the door.

He was wet, and misshapen, like a puppy who had disowned and thrown out into the street. She looked upon him sadly.

"Kakashi…"

"May I come in Sakura?"

She nodded and stepped aside. He flicked his eyes to meet hers briefly, but walked inside, she closed the door with a soft 'click'. As she looked at him a warm glow spread within her settling comfortably in her stomach. If he could make her feel like this by just entering a room…

He looked up, standing in the center of the living room. He looked as if he felt out of place but to Sakura his presence there fit together perfect as could be.

"Sakura, we need to talk."

She had expected those words, but still they stung slightly. She knew he was going to try to be impersonal about the whole thing, try to detached himself from the whole situation, and move on because he thought it would be best. Sakura was not about to let that happen. Swiftly she walked over to the couch and sat down, patting the seat beside her. "Then talk, Kakashi."

He hesitated but cautiously seated himself next to her. You could cut the tension with a paper knife. "That kiss…what did it mean to you?"

_There he goes, being impersonal._

"More than you could know."

"That's what I was afraid you would say. Listen we…cant get…involved in anything here Sakura, it just wouldn't be right."

She glared at him and he refused to look her in the eye. "Kakashi, who is to say what is wrong in this world of the shinobi? Anything could happen in the blink of an eye, if you don't live in the moment, it'll pass you by."

"Is that all you want? A 'live in the moment' fling?" She caught the ray of hope in his voice. She had just given him a foothold to wriggle away from her. No. Wasn't going to happen.

"I hope you think higher of me than that Kakashi. Because I think very highly of you, and I know that you know, that I'm not that kind of person. And neither are you."

"But--"

"Shut up. I kissed you because I wanted to. Kakashi you mean so much to me…I couldn't just sit by and let you continue down that path of self-destruction. And…you may not know it but…I _want _you."

He looked up into her soft jade eyes. "Do you love me?"

"Do you love me?" she countered.

"Sakura, I have loved you since the day you became a part of my tem…but it was a different kind of love…the kind that means you would die to defend them, and be there for them to the end. A teammates love. What love do you feel for me?"

Sakura looked down. If she admitted it there would be no turning back, and no letting go. There would be pain and struggles…but there could also be happiness. If she didn't take this chance she would never forgive herself.

"The kind, where you want to wake up each day to see their face, fall asleep each night close to them. The kind where you want to latch on and never let go. The kind…that makes you weak at the knees whenever they touch you…do I still mean nothing to you other than a teammate?"

He gulped and fought not to touch her. She actually said that. But he would never tell her she made him feel the exact same way. "I'm afraid not Sakura." It was for the good of her and everyone else.

He expected tears, sorrowful sobs, or even a quiet understanding…not a devious smile.

"Kakashi, somehow I cant believe you."

He watched her every move as she stood up and slowly lifted her shirt over her head. He hungrily took in every detail, her muscled stomach, her perfectly sized breasts, kept away from further inspection by her binding.

She noticed and grinned, walking towards the bedroom. "If I truly mean nothing more to you, leave, go home and forget everything, that kiss, those words, and this body. But if you want to be honest with me and yourself…stay a while."

He dug his nails into his knees as she sashayed down the hall and out of sight.

_I should leave now._

His body, and heart wouldn't allow his rational thoughts to take over and he stood up.

_But…no turning back…_

Perfect

Like a hunter after it's mouth watering prey, he walked down the hall into what was obviously her room. It was surprisingly human. Colored paint on the walls, a few stuffed animals on the queen sized bed.

His eyes ignored these things, and immediately traveled to the cause of his being in this room in the first place.

She was leaning against the wall.

He slowly walked over to her and put one hand on the wall next to her pink head, the other cupped her chin, tilting her head to look at him.

"I think, its time I moved on Sakura. But…no turning back form here."

She grinned. "Just how I want it to be."

He chuckled mischievously, pulled down his mask and kissed her heatedly. She groaned lightly and tugged at his vest, wishing to be rid of the unflattering piece of material. He complied, and stripped of the tight black shirt underneath it. She squealed in delight and amusement when he tickled her midriff, and inched her over to the bed. He tripped on a stuffed animal, and they collapsed upon one another, kissing and touching and molding into each other.

There was a fine line that they had danced along, but now, they happily and willingly hurtled over the edge, into the dark uncertainties.

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The dawn was a cruel and insensitive thing, waking you from the deepest depths of slumber, and reminding you of the world around you. But it had it's rewards.

Kakashi was taking advantage of such rewards, relishing in the feel of the woman in his arms, running his seasoned hands over her smooth skin, lingering on her chest and neck. Drowsily she snuggled deeper into the curve of his body. Laying here against her skin on skin, feeling warm and…not lonely, it was the best way to wake up.

Sleepily, about an hour later, they arose and dressed. Both stood adjacent to each other, watching, taking in the reality of what they done. Last night had been mind-blowing and absolutely wonderful. Both of their minds lingered on those heated kisses and slow torturous caresses.

Kakashi grinned at her from behind his mask. "Regret anything?"

She grinned back, and threw herself into his arms, in a warm hug. "Never."

There was a knock on the door. They leapt apart.

"SAAAAAAAAKUURAAA-CHAAAAAAN!!"

There would be no mistaking Naruto's voice.

Sakura grinned weakly. "Okay maybe a teensy ounce of regret now, but…uhh we'll get through it?"

Kakashi smiled softly and whispered into her ear, "It's our little secret for now, hmmkay Sakura?"

A shiver ran down her spine. She suspected this would have to end up like this, sneaking around, under the cover of night, into each others arms because she knew they both feared what others would think. But she felt it in her bones, things would work out between them, no mistake about it.

Returning his smile she replied, "For now at least."

He landed a kiss lightly on her cheek but leaped out the window as Naruto broke down the door.

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_**Oh my god!!! I am so happy I got this finished! Well people review and tell me how I did on the 'grand finale'. and yes I know it was painfully long, but bear with me, I was on a roll! So keep an eye out for the sequel: Rights Wrongs and Faith!**_

_**Kakashi'sGirl101 out!**_


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